[SML] Touring jobs advice for former student

[June Abernathy]

On Sep 24, 2014, at 10:09 PM, "Scott C. Parker" <scparker at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> Hi Gang,
> One of my former students, who graduated last year, asked for the
> following guidance regarding looking for a touring job. Can anyone
> (Dave, Kristi, Abby, June, and....) offer some advice I can pass
> along?


What Kristi said. If you have already joined the IATSE in Atlanta, work on getting on calls for Broadway tours whenever you can, and once you are there, do your best to be competent and useful and show a good attitude. It doesn't hurt to let the touring technicians (particularly heads of department) know that you are interested in touring work in case they have a sub job or something coming up. It doesn't hurt to have a business card with your contact information on you if they ask for one. OTOH, be aware that we hear this from at least one person on the crew in every single stop, and rarely need replacements. It's usually a "right time/right place" deal. Still, being a competent local who is good to work with is the best way to attract the attention of people in a hiring capacity who may suddenly come up with a need for a sub or a replacement. It's possible to be memorable just working ins and outs, although a lot more probable if you are working on the run of show crew.

Very few touring stagehands are based in NY or LA. Almost none, in fact. They tend to make better money at home, and need to work at home to keep their benefits current. Not sure what kind of jobs she has been applying for that would want her to live in NY or LA, but I doubt they are what she is looking for. Some people do spend time in NYC between shows, picking up day work in the shops and whatnot, to be the first to hear of upcoming shows and to be on the radar of various NY based Production Supervisors, but it's not a requirement. And it can be an expensive exercise.

It is possible to get a touring job directly by sending a resume to some of the smaller tour producers, like NETworks, Troika, Big League Theatricals, or Phoenix. They all have websites. Google is your friend. They do look for crew directly from time to time, and many keep a database of resumes on file. Larger touring companies tend to hire through the touring heads and NY based production supervisors, who generally hire people they have worked with and know. 

I'd say do both - work with the Union Local and learn things and make contacts. And also apply to the small producers, on the chance that you can kick-start the process, if your goal is to tour right away.

Concert and Festival touring is outside my experience. It's a completely different world with almost no crossover to Broadway touring. Besides working on Concerts coming through and getting to know the touring technicians, I believe a lot of contacts are made through folks who work at various shops that supply such tours. No idea if any of that stuff comes out of Atlanta - I think most such suppliers are Nashville or LA based - but it's worth checking around.


June Abernathy
IATSE #321 (Tampa, FL)
FOH Electrician
The Lion King National Tour